The Animal Behavior Center
Lara Joseph
Professional Animal Behavior Consultant & Trainer
Member of:
So many times people come to me telling me what they want the animal to stop doing. In order to change an undesired behavior, we need to replace it with another. What do you want the animal to do instead? Tank was jumping on people and this behavior serves a purpose for him. We donโt need to tell an animal โNo!โ. โNoโ doesnโt tell the animal what we would like it to do instead that will earn it reinforcers. Studies show that animals learn quicker for earning reinforcers for what TO DO vs. what not to do. Teaching a station, meaning go to an area until requested to do otherwise, teaches the animal what to do that will earn reinforcement. A station is a great replacement behavior for animals. See the training video below.
for a one-year Foundations of Animal Training & Behavior Membership
Animal keepers, trainers, interns, volunteers, and companion animal owners who strive to provide the best lives possible for the animals in their care will benefit immensely from joining the Memberships and the Projects.
Laraโs work with different types of animals across the Memberships and Projects beautifully illustrates how the scientific principles of training, along with the physical and mental benefits of appropriate environmental enrichment, apply universally across species.ย Her on-line, highly interactive teaching style is truly unique; through sharing unedited livestreams of the progression over time of her training sessions and implementation of enrichment for a wide variety of exotic and domestic animals, Lara is able to both show and explain her work to members in real time, as well as answer questions from members watching live; her livestreams are also conveniently recorded for members to watch later at any time.ย Through monthly, on-line Q&A sessions, Lara thoughtfully and thoroughly answers members’ specific questions about working with their own animals.
Another exciting benefit of the Memberships and Projects is that members are invited to share short videos of their own training sessions within the group and receive valuable and supportive feedback from Lara and fellow members.ย The Projects are a great resource for people who desire in-depth learning about the training and enrichment of the specific types of animals featured in each Project, as well as for people like me who have joined all of the (very affordably priced) Projects for the benefit of learning how training and enrichment can be tailored to working with a variety of very different animals.ย Memberships and the Projects open the door for animal caregivers to receive a steady stream of learning through Laraโs in-the-moment and fun teaching style; she is a gifted trainer and teacher to be treasured in the animal behavior and training community.
When an animal’s caregiver becomes a member of The Animal Behavior Center at any level and/or joins one of the Projects and implements the work Lara teaches, the caregiver will receive the gift of building a better relationship with the animal, and the animal will receive the most valuable gift of all – a better quality of life.
Shaune Whaley
Animal Care & Training Student, Intern, and Volunteer
I just want to highly recommend Lara Josephโs podcasts to anybody who may not have listened to them. They are fantastic! I have listened to all of them – I think – and have listened to many of them multiple times. If you have not listened to the podcasts – I can not recommend them enough!
Lauren DuPont Smith
Level I Member
Anyone who shares their lives with any species of animal should do them a favor and join the Level 1 Membership. I am very pleased with the content and delivery of the information & how easy & convenient it is to obtain it at my convenience as I have an insanely busy lifestyle. Looking forward to continued learning for life because it enhances my relationships with my animals and my clientsโ animals and itโs fun and challenging in a good way. Thank you so much. ❤️
Lauren Fetterman
Level I Member
Iโve been binge watching videos and learning TONS. Loving my Membership!!!
Tammy Schluender
Level I Member
for a one-year Level I Membership